The crash has drawn scrutiny on the trucking company’s history of safety violations and alleged falsification of records.
DALLAS — A Kaufman County grand jury has indicted a truck driver on multiple felony charges stemming from a June 28 crash on Interstate 20 near Terrell that killed five people.
Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, faces five counts of manslaughter and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The grand jury also indicted an official with Hope Trans, the company the driver was working for, on a felony forgery charge in connection with the truck’s falsified registration, known as a “cab card,” according to a source with knowledge the investigation.
The name of the official was not released publicly becuase the person has not been indicted.
The fatal crash involved seven vehicles, including three 18-wheelers and four passenger vehicles.
Investigators said Gonzalez-Companioni, who was transporting U.S. mail, failed to brake and slammed into slowed traffic in a construction zone. Court records show he told investigators he fell asleep at the wheel.
The victims include four members of the same family:
-
Billy McKellar, 79, of Tyler
-
Zabar McKellar, 52, of Fort Worth
-
Krishaun McKellar, 45, of Fort Worth
-
Kason McKellar, 16, of Fort Worth
Nicole Gregory, 49, of Dallas, was also killed.
The crash has brought increased scrutiny to Hope Trans LLC. Previous reporting by WFAA revealed a pattern of safety violations at the company, which was subcontracted by Covenant Logistics to haul U.S. mail.
Former drivers have alleged the company pressured them to violate federal safety regulations, including falsifying logbooks, backdating paperwork, and exceeding legal driving hours.
Investigative sources previously told WFAA that the truck involved had falsified registration documentation, resulting in arrest warrants. Authorities have not yet disclosed details of those warrants.
Despite these ongoing issues, Hope Trans LLC remains authorized to operate interstate.
Both the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board continue their investigations.
Gonzalez-Companioni remains in the Kaufman County Jail on bonds totaling $2.25 million.
Great Job & the Team @ WFAA RSS Feed: news Source link for sharing this story.
